Mexico lauded for its efforts to improve its human rights record

Mexico's steps to introduce laws to strengthen the protection of journalists and human rights defenders and combat trafficking in 2012 were lauded as "significant achievements" by the deputy ambassador of United States to the United Nations in Geneva.

Peter F. Mulrean was speaking to the UN Human Rights Council as it conducted the second Universal Periodic Review, or UPR, for the country.

Mr. Mulrean noted Mexico's efforts to promote and protect the rights of persons with disabilities, as well as the recent steps taken to provide more transparency in cases involving the military.

"We recommend that Mexico, one, continue to improve implementation of the human rights defenders and journalists' protection act and the national protection mechanism at the state level. Two, continue to implement the 2012 national anti-trafficking law to investigate and prosecute trafficking offenses on the federal and state level. Three, continue efforts to ensure transparent adjudication of members of the security forces for human rights abuses and continue efforts to reform the civilian police."

However, Mr. Mulrean added, Mexico faces numerous challenges in fully implementing the anti-trafficking law at the federal and state level.